[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 3]
[House]
[Page 3735]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          UNITED STATES BORDER PATROL AGENTS CAMPION AND RAMOS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, tonight I won't take nearly 
the 5 minutes that I have allotted, but I and many Members of the House 
have been trying to help two border agents, Border Agent Campion, and 
Border Agent Ramos, who are now serving 1 to 11 years in Federal 
prison, the other for 12 years in Federal prison for shooting a drug 
smuggler.
  What makes this so sad, quite frankly, Mr. Speaker, is these men have 
had a wonderful record of serving the American people on the borders of 
this country, trying to help defend America from those who want to come 
to this country illegally, and especially those who have drugs or may 
be terrorists, quite frankly.
  But these two men were found guilty in a Federal court, and I am 
afraid that all the information that could have been used to help these 
two men not go to prison was under seal. That is a legal issue, and I 
won't speak to that, but I will say that I want the people to know 
tonight, my colleagues here in the House, that the drug smuggler who 
had a record of smuggling drugs from Mexico to America was the one that 
they shot when he was trying to escape after his van crashed with 743 
pounds of marijuana. These men thought they were doing their duty for 
this country, and therefore they shot at this drug smuggler as he was 
leaving. The bullet actually went through the buttocks and went out, 
and according to the medical examiner that meant that he was turned 
like he was going to face them and possibly, if he had a weapon, fire 
at them. They thought he had a weapon.

                              {time}  1915

  Mr. Speaker, the sad thing is that Agent Ramos 2 weeks ago was beaten 
in a Federal prison. These men, their lives are at stake, and we call 
upon the White House to look seriously at this case.
  We think there are legal questions as to the indictment and to the 
process itself. We would like for the White House and the Attorney 
General's office to look seriously at whether these men should at least 
be given some type of pardon while their hearings are being heard. But 
we are calling on the White House to please look seriously at giving 
these two men an opportunity for pardon, because I do not know how we 
can say to the American people that our law enforcement, who are trying 
to protect this country from those who are invading this country, 
whether they be from Canada and Mexico, and yet with our border agents 
do the best job they can under very, very difficult situations, then 
they end up spending 11 and 12 years in Federal prison.
  Again, in closing, and I will be closing, we are asking the 
administration to look carefully at the possibility of a pardon. There 
are many Members of the House, both Republican and Democrat, that are 
concerned about this case.
  In fact, today, Senator Feinstein from California, a Democrat, called 
upon Mr. Leahy, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, to look into this 
case.
  Mr. Speaker, with that, I will close by asking the President to 
please show the families of Mr. Compean and Mr. Ramos that justice does 
prevail in America if you are trying to defend the Constitution and 
defend the people of America.

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